Monthly Archives: April 2011

and I will be trying not to die while competing in the Gold Nugget Triathlon. Ok, competing might be a stretch, because there is no chance I will be anywhere in the realm of competitive. But I am going to be a finisher.

That is my goal.

TO FINISH

For the last several months I have been preparing for May 15.

It started last summer when I began “running”. Painful, slow, awkward running.

Then I began to swim. Painful, slow, awkward swimming

And in February, I got a new bike, and I have been biking. Painful, slow, awkward biking.

So, in just over 2 weeks, I will swim 500 yards, bike 13 miles and run 5K.

As a parent, it has been said that I am a bit of a disciplinarian. (no, not by my children, of course they think I am out to make their lives miserable, but by actual responsible adults who have children that are now successful functioning adults).

The first time I heard this, I was very taken aback. How could I, the one who lets my kids stay up too late, and rarely forces the making of their beds (because I would have to lead by example), how could I be one of “those” parents?

Then I stepped back and watched myself with my kids and yep, I might be a bit free personally, but those children of mine operate within strict parameters.

I have been asked to describe my discipline philosophy, and it took me a while to come up with something I was able to articulate.

People talk about walking a line, but that is not the way it works around here. I like to think that my kids have a big wide circle of acceptable behavior, and within that circle pretty much anything goes!

But step outside of the circle…

the rules are pretty simple:

Be kind to those around you

Work hard

Don’t be snotty to your parents

yep, that is pretty much it. Those are the rules that form the circle.

truly, it is because I am terribly lazy and I lack the basic organizational skills that would be necessary to implement a more complex system.